Design and validation of the ECAVINAE-LICCE scale to evaluate quality of life in children and adolescents with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: To design and validate a scale to evaluate the quality of life in children and adolescents with epilepsy. METHODS: Scale validation, multicentered, three-phase study. We did a literature review for the construction of the instrument, and a validation of appearance, construct, criterion, and reproducibility. We evaluated the scale among the patients that consulted at the Liga Central contra la Epilepsia and the Fundación Hospital de La Misericordia (Bogotá, Colombia) between 2014 and 2015. RESULTS: The resulting questionnaire has 4 domains, with 18-26 items according to age groups (0-3, 4-10 and 11-17 years old) and a Likert scale score from 1 to 5. The comparison with CAVE and QOLIE AD 48 was adequate (Pearson correlation coefficient between 0.713 and 0.837 according to age groups: intraclass correlation coefficient between 0.664 and 0.817.) Internal consistency was adequate (Cronbach's alpha between 0.791 and 0.809). Test-retest assessment was good, with Spearman's coefficient between 0.99 and 1.00. The time to fill out the scale ranged between 3.5 and 6.8 min. SIGNIFICANCE: We designed and validated a quality-of-life scale in Spanish for children and adolescents with epilepsy, which is easy and quick to fill and has excellent reliability and validity parameters.

Caracterización de ALTE en neuropediatría. Hospital La Misericordia, Bogotá, Colombia, 2009-2013 / Characterization of ALTE in pediatric neurology. Hospital La Misericordia, Bogotá, Colombia, 2009-2013

Introducción: El síndrome de ALTE es una condición que amenaza la vida de los lactantes; requiere diagnóstico y manejo adecuado para evitar complicaciones o muerte, y sus causas son numerosas, entre ellas: gastrointestinales, respiratorias, neurológicas y otras; las patologías neurológicas representan la tercera causa en la mayoría de estudios. Objetivo: Describir las características de la población de pacientes que consultaron al Hospital de la Misericordia (HOMI) de Bogotá por un episodio de ALTE y que fueron valorados por la especialidad de neuropediatría en el período 2009 a 2013. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, en una población de 107 pacientes con diagnóstico de ALTE; se determinaron los datos sociodemográficos, características, causas y tratamientos de ALTE; se utilizó el programa SPSS 22. Resultados: La etiología neurológica de ALTE correspondió al 16,8%, correspondiente a crisis epilépticas, trastornos respiratorios de origen central y sangrados de sistema nervioso central. Ocupa el tercer lugar en etiologías, después de las causas gastrointestinales y respiratorias. Conclusión: Es importante definir el diagnóstico y tratamiento de los pacientes con ALTE, pues existe alto riesgo de morbimortalidad asociada. Deben evaluarse factores neurológicos, y no solo gastrointestinales o respiratorios, que ayuden a definir la etiología y evitar complicaciones.

Introduction: ALTE is a condition that threatens the lives of infants; requires diagnosis and appropriate management to avoid complications and / or death. There are numerous causes among which are gastrointestinal, respiratory, and neurological and others. Being the third cause, neurological pathologies in most studies. Objective: To describe the characteristics of the population of patients admitted to Hospital de la Misericord HOMI Bogota, for ALTE and were valued by the specialty of pediatric neurology in the period 2009-2013. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, with a population of 107 patients with a diagnosis of ALTE; sociodemographic data, characteristics, causes and treatments of ALTE were determined. SPSS 22 software was used. Results: The etiology of neurological ALTE corresponded to 16.8%, corresponding to seizures, respiratory disorders of central origin and CNS bleeds. Ranking as third in etiology below gastrointestinal and respiratory causes. Conclusion: It is important to define the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ALTE, as there is a high risk of morbidity and mortality associated. Factors not only neurological and gastrointestinal or respiratory, to help define the etiology and avoid complications should be evaluated.

Risk factors for neuropsychiatric manifestations in children with systemic lupus erythematosus: case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychiatric symptoms in children with systemic lupus erythematosus cause high morbidity and disability. This study analyzed risk factors associated with neuropsychiatric presentation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus aged <18 years. METHODS: A case-control study was performed. Medical record information of patients with a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus who were hospitalized with or without neuropsychiatric symptoms was collected between March 2007 and January 2012. Clinical variables, laboratory examinations, neuroimages, and disease activity (Systemic Erythematosus Lupus Disease Activity Index) and damage (Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics) indices were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients were selected, 30 with neuropsychiatric symptoms. The patients' average age was 12.2 years. The most common neuropsychiatric symptoms were seizures, migraine, and depression. The average Systemic Erythematosus Lupus Disease Activity Index was 19.86 (S.D. 10.83) and the average Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics index was 2.02 (S.D. 2.43), with higher values in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms (P = 0.001). The levels of complement C3 and C4 were significantly higher in patients with a neuropsychiatric disorder (P = 0.003). Lupus anticoagulant was found in 51.5% of patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms (odds ratio, 3.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-10.0). Immunosuppression with azathioprine, rituximab, or cyclophosphamide delayed the time to neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus development by 18.5 months (95% confidence interval, 10.6-26.5) compared to patients who did not receive these agents. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of lupus anticoagulant was a risk factor in our patients. The use of immunosuppressants, such as cyclophosphamide, rituximab, and azathioprine, delayed the presentation of neuropsychiatric manifestations of lupus.